Each time we feel we've gained ground in figuring out this whole "Lost" thing, the perspective shifts and we are again left feeling like inept little sleuths who don't know the difference between a Fibonacci Sequence and a figment of the imagination. But still, we try. Below, Jen Chaney and I share our top puzzlers going into the season finale. Yes, we know, there's that four-toed statue and the pirate ship and all (and, trust me, we wanna know as bad as you), but the six questions below are ones we think will likely be addressed -- if not answered to our complete satisfaction -- in next Thursday's two-hour finale. And don't forget to join us for today's 2 p.m. ET "Lost" Hour chat.

Who was in that coffin?

Ever since drugged-out Jack dropped by the Hoffs/Drawlar Funeral Home during last season's finale, the question has plagued "Lost" fans: Who was in the box? LindeCuse has said that we will know the answer to this question before the season ends. They had better not be lying.

Jen's Prediction: The prevailing wisdom is that the coffin's inhabitant is Michael, mainly because he has clearly been trying to kill himself and it appears, based on close-ups of an obituary, that the person in the coffin committed suicide.

While I agree that Michael is a possibility, I think the deceased also could be Ben, who, as we know, assumes other identities and frequently travels off the island. But -- as Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse recently confirmed in their most recent "Lost" podcast -- Ben, Charles Widmore, Michael and Jack cannot die until the island is through with them. If Jack realizes that, it might explain why he feels such profound guilt about the situation and a strong desire to go back; after all, Ben was the one who implored Jack not to phone the freighter.

Another possibility: Sayid. With his beloved Nadia gone and his life spent doing Ben's dirty work, it's possible he either met his demise or caused it himself.

Who the $#@$! is Jacob?

LindeCuse pulled a fast one on us in "Cabin Fever" -- we were totally led to believe we'd at last get to meet the elusive Jacob. But when John entered the cabin we were met with a cagey dead Christian Shephard and a possibly dead (see below) and way subversive Claire. In subsequent episodes the importance of the supposed island mystic's identity was dropped like a loaf of hot Dharma bread. So, what's the deal?

Liz's Prediction: In the penultimate episode of the season, Ben signals to someone at the mountain top Orchid station. When John asks Ben to whom he's signaling, Ben responds, "Who do you think?" Well, okay, Ben -- I think you're signaling to Jacob, who may be the only guy on the island not under your thumb. But, since Jacob's fleeting appearance in "The Man Behind the Curtain," we've seen nary a glimpse of this fabled head Other. So while we may not actually see him in the finale, his presence will be felt. Why else would Ben feel confident walking right into Keamy's trap?

Much more after the jump...

What is Charles Widmore's Deal?

The business mogul, and Pops to love-of-Desmond's-life Penelope Widmore, has designs on the island. He (allegedly) faked wreckage of Oceanic 815 and placed it at the bottom of the ocean. He has told Ben that "everything you have, you took from me." He also claims the island is his, always has been and will be again.

So what is Widmore's connection to the island? Will the finale provide some clarity?

Jen's Prediction: I suspect this mystery will linger well into next season. Here is what we know: Ben has told Locke that Widmore wants to exploit their tropical paradise and turn it into some sort of Disney-style Amusement Park of Miracles. (And really, who wouldn't want to go for a ride on the Smoke Monster Coaster?)

But that sounds like another of Ben's many white-hot lies. There are many theories about who Widmore is really.

I personally like the idea that he may have been Captain of the Black Rock and wants his civilization back. If that's too left-field for you, consider this: The Widmore Corporation has direct ties to the Hanso Foundation, which funded the Dharma Initiative. And all those pregnancy tests on the island? They came from Widmore Labs. So Chuck, as I like to call him, may feel like he is so invested -- both monetarily and personally -- in what Dharma was trying to do that he doesn't want nutty Ben screwing up the grand experiment. Which means that yes, maybe Ben really is the good guy here. (Yeah, keep dreaming, Jen! -- Liz)

What happens to Jin?

Sure, it may not be as exciting as some of the other questions we're considering today, but long-time "Lost" fans have a soft spot for this one-time gangster turned stand-up husband. We know he never makes it back to Korea with Sun, who blames her father and Charles Widmore for his loss. But, what actually happened to him and will we find out in the finale?

Liz's Prediction: When we last saw Jin, he was on the freighter staring down an elephant-sized pile of explosives with Michael and Desmond. Which doesn't bode well for that odd threesome -- or anyone on the freighter.

But wait -- Sun and baby Aaron are on the freighter, too, and we know they survive. Somehow, Jin will die to ensure their safety. Perhaps by getting Sun, Aaron and his own unborn child on to a lifeboat before the whole ship is blown sky high. Also, not for nothing, please consider the "Lost" DUI curse. Every actor on the show who ended up in traffic court later found his or herself axed from the show (Michelle Rodriquez, Cynthia Watros, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Since Daniel Dae-Kim was himself arrested for suspicion of drunk driving last fall, he may be in line follow his other doomed, yet buzzed, co-stars right off the show.

Is Claire Dead?

She (seemingly) survived a massive explosion. Then she wandered off into the jungle with Christian Shephard, leaving baby Aaron behind. Next we see her, she's in Jacob's Cabin, looking as freaky as Laura Palmer in an Agent Cooper dream sequence. So is Claire dead or alive?

Jen's Prediction: I think we will know the answer to this for sure in the finale. And I stand firmly on the side of dead -- albeit walking dead. Christian seems to have helped her cross over to the other side. Also, during a conference call with LindeCuse a few weeks back, a reporter from E! asked whether Emile de Ravin, who plays Claire, would return next season. They didn't say one way or the other, but a more recent piece on E! Online (pseudo-spoiler ahead!) reveals that a female cast member won't be back for season five, but will return for season six.

My bet is that cast member is sweet Claire.

Will Desmond make it to season five?

Like Jin, we last saw Desmond facing down a pile of explosives on the freighter. Despite being a fan favorite (and winner of our own "Lost" Madness), Henry Ian Cusick hinted that he may not be destined to see the show through to the bitter end. Here's what he said to Jen when she asked him to speculate on Desmond's fate last month:

"Since he's not one of the Oceanic Six, my thinking is he's on the island. I am guessing there are some survivors and if they have the Oceanic Six that wants to go back, I am guessing some people are alive on the island and maybe Desmond is part of it. Or maybe not. Does he find Penny? I don't know."

Liz's Prediction: Sorry. We won't find out in the finale. Desmond's fate will be one of the season-ending cliffhangers. This is especially bolstered by the fact that Penny (actress Sonya Walger) is slated to appear in the finale, upping the Desmond-Penny drama quotient that so moved us in the season's best episode, "The Constant."

Bonus: Who is the mysterious seventh passenger on the Coast Guard plane?

The Internet has been abuzz with speculation about the shadowy figure strapped into a seat a few feet removed from the Oceanic Six on the Coast Guard plane. Is he a ghost? Jacob? Another survivor who, for whatever reason, is being smuggled back to Hawaii?

Liz's Prediction: This will not be addressed in the finale because, like, the guy's just another crew member catching some Zs on the long flight back to home base.

Jen's Prediction: Come on, Liz. There's no such thing as throwaway character on "Lost." That's clearly Jacob, who is secretly Jack's great-uncle twice removed who once went drinking with Sawyer and purchased a lottery ticket just one number off from Hurley's. I mean, DUH.